The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1887-04-06
THE MARTHA WASHING TON PLOT.
Kissane Figures In the Great Steamb Oat
Conspiracy In Cincinnati in 1851.

Kissane Figures In the Great Steamb Oat
Conspiracy in Cincinnati in 1851.
CLEVELAND, April 2.-The Leader will say to-
morrow: The discovery OF Kisssne in California,
a rich, prosperous, and reputable citizen, and
his supposed Identification with the noted forger
and criminal, who was twice indicted in New
York fer forgery committed upon the Chemical
Bank and sent to the penitent:ary, has aroused
public attention In Cleveland This is the man
who is believed to have been one of the leaders
in the great Martha Washington steamboat
conspiracy at Cincinnati, a tragedy that was
consummated upon the Mississippi River by
which that steamer was burned, its cargo and
several lives destroyed in ISL, and which, at
the time, occssioned by the arrest and trial OF
the criminals engaged in the plot, produced as
much public excitement in Ohio as was ever
kRown to arise from criminal prosecution.
The defendant. Kissane. and others were en-
gagged as wholesale boot and shoe dealers at
Cincinnati, the buying and selling of wool. deal
ing in leather and other commodities. They
purchased the steamboat Martha Washington,
loaded her apparently with a costly freight,
had the cargo insured for large sum, and sent
her down the Mississippi regularly consigned
TO their correspondents at New Orleans, The
captain was one OF the conspirators. and had
cargo, supposed to be composed OF boxes OF
boots and shoes, leather, wool and other valu-
able merchandise, was, in reality. made up OF
refuse material Of no value, and the boxes, so
carefully fastened and marked TO their owners,
were filed with wood, stone, and rubbish OF
every character. At q certain time, when pas
sengers and crew were quietly sleeping, and at a
moment when the act could be the most safely
committed, the captain was to fire TIE vessel in
such manner SIS to insure its destruction, and
then the conspirators were TO collect the in
suranee non the vessel ana valuable cargo as
total loss.
Apparently everything succeeded as planned.
The cargo was publicly and carefully placed
on board, and no suspicion excited as 70 its
character or genuineness. The captain was
well known, and the vessel sailed upon her
voyage with her cargo richly insured. At q
certain time she took fire. The fire spread with
ineoneeiyable rapidity, the crew and officers
took the boats, and most OF the lives were saved
Nobody doubted that the terrible accident
was one OF those incidents inseparable from the
dangers OF navigation, and the captain and
owners were sympathized with as sufferers who
had met unmerited misfortune. In due time
the schedule of losses was carefully prepared,
the proofs OF the merchandise destroyed laid
before the underwriters, and so far as human
foresight could discover, there was no objection
to the payment, and the crime OF Kissane and
his associates was about to be satisfactorily
eonsummated. At this time there lived In
Cleveland a well known citizen name Sidney
Burton. He was of excellent character, well
liked By his neighbors, Of considerable